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A mass M attached to a horizontal spring executes SHM with amplitude A₁. When M passes through its mean position a smaller mass m is placed on it, and the two then move together with amplitude A₂. The ratio (A₁)/(A₂) is

Asked in JEE Main 2011 · Mass added or removed

• (1) M/(M+m)
• (2) (M+m)/M
• (3) (M/(M+m))^1/2
• (4) ((M+m)/M)^1/2

Step-by-step solution

Why the other options are wrong

• (1) Omits the square root and inverts the ratio.
• (2) Omits the square root.
• (3) Inverts the ratio; adding mass reduces the amplitude, so A₁>A₂.

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